


Just Craving Tea

by braverose



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Attempt at Humor, CEO Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Second Person, maybe this is just an excuse to write them being happy especially levi, rating will change for sure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28659756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/braverose/pseuds/braverose
Summary: After all those weeks, you still can’t figure out why someone like him would spend his free time at a local coffee shop, just ordering tea. “You’ve been coming here a lot lately.” You tell him a bit dully.Levi gives you a half-amused look. “And?”“Nothing.” You pause for a moment. “My co-workers say you’re doing it just to see me.” You venture to say, knowing he doesn’t respond negatively to a bit of teasing.Expecting one of his rude comments, you’re surprised when he just raises his eyebrows, supporting his face on his interlaced hands beneath his chin. “Would it bother you if that was the case?”
Relationships: Levi Ackerman/Reader, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 64





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> couldn’t get this idea out of my head and i needed to cope so i somehow wrote this  
> this chapter is pretty much context on reader’s situation and how she meets levi but just in case i’ll give you a heads up:  
> \- female reader, 22 years, has an older brother (who works for levi) and a cat, works at a coffee shop, has some backstory  
> \- as it says in the tags, levi is a ceo aka a sugar daddy, he’s bad at people but he tries  
> \- characters of the aot cast are EVERYWHERE because i want to write them living happily and i needed a break from canon’s pain  
> \- there are minor relationships going around but of course this is centered around levi and reader  
> note: english isn’t my first language  
> (pssst, in case any of you here is currently reading my levi/oc fic, just know that i’ll update soon)  
> if you liked it, let me know and i may continue, hope i don’t regret uploading this and delete it lol

The alarm clock rings exactly at 8:00 AM. You groan as you wake up, getting ready for another day. After dressing up, you go to the kitchen and find a note from your brother which says _I needed to wake up earlier for work today, if you need anything, just call me_. Huffing, you just proceed to eat something and make sure your cat has enough food and water before going to work.

You’ve been working at a coffee shop for a year in order to make some money after finishing your studies. You live alone with your brother, and he’s been the only one bringing money home since you two started living on your own, so you thought it was about time you also contribute to the house expenses. Even if he said you didn’t have to.

So you chose to work at the coffee shop you used to go to frequently, one not very far from your apartment. The boy who almost always attended you before you started working there, Eren, was really happy when you joined the staff. You two got on well from the start, and after a year of working with him, he has become not only a co-worker but also your friend. The rest of the staff members with who you get on with as well include Sasha, Historia, Rico and Annie.

During the week, you work either in the mornings of afternoons, depending on what the manager, Hannes, tells you. When you finish late, your brother picks you up when he comes back from work, and when he can’t, Mikasa – Eren’s friend, which ended up being also yours, drops you home. And that has been your routine for the past year.

That very same day, Hannes asked you if you could work the full day since Rico couldn’t, and since you were being paid more for it, you said yes. You didn’t expect to like working there as much as you did though. All of your co-workers are really nice people, and you rarely have problems with customers. You’ve never been especially fond of talking to strangers, but as long as people are kind to you, you’re okay.

You call your brother when you finish your last shift ends since it was already dark, but he doesn’t pick it up.

“Isn’t your brother answering?” Eren asks from behind you.

You shake your head. “He’s probably coming late from work today again.”

“I’ll tell Mikasa to drop you home, don’t worry.”

“Isn’t it about time you got your driver’s license, _Jaeger_? Mikasa can’t always be picking you up.”

You got your driving license when you turned 18, and you have to share the car with your brother. He’s the one using it most of the time for going to work, and you don’t really mind.

“Not you too.” He complains. “Mikasa and Armin don’t shut up about it either. Give me time.”

“That’s what you always say.”

“Whatever. Look, there she is.”

Mikasa looks like Eren’s older sister more than her friend. She’s always taking care of him, making sure he gets to work on time, helping with his studies – since Eren is studying and working at the same time – and many other things. Both Eren and Mikasa are 19, and you feel a bit old around them even if you just turned 22.

Since your house isn’t very far away, Mikasa drops you off in less than ten minutes. “Mikasa, are you sure you don’t want me to pay for petrol? Seriously–”

“I’ll tell you once again, you don’t have to. Just keep looking after Eren at work.”

You chuckle while Eren groans. “Will do.”

Once inside home, you turn on the lights and smile when your cat instantly runs towards you, rubbing herself against your knees. “Did you miss me, Elly?”

You adopted Elly two years ago, when she was just a little kitty. Your brother mentioned one of his colleagues’s cat has had a litter of kittens, and you decided to adopt one. That was the only time you’ve ever interacted with your brother’s co-workers. The owner of the cat, Pieck – you remember her name, was truly a sweet woman, and frequently asked how Elly was doing.

An hour later, once you’ve bathed and are currently thinking what to eat for dinner, you hear the door opening, and leave your room to greet your brother. “Evening.” You say.

“Hi.” He smiles at you. “I’m sorry for not picking you up today, Ms. Zoe needed me to stay for a bit longer and–”

“Don’t worry. Mikasa took me home.”

Your brother had been working for the Ackerman Corporation for many years, and since he got accepted there, you were aware he would be busy very often. The person in charge of him, someone named Hange Zoe, is a very close friend of the company’s Chairman, and partly because of that your brother, being the saint he is, never says no to all of their – usually senseless – demands.

According to him, Hange isn’t by any means strict or mean to her employees, just a bit of a workaholic sometimes. And they drag your brother with her several times. You’ve told him to complain about that multiple times, but he assures you it’s okay. You remember he once told you that even the Chairman himself doesn’t agree to Hange _overexploiting_ their employees.

You don’t know a lot about the Chairman, Mr. Ackerman. You only heard he isn’t a people person and heavily dislikes appearing publicly, so you don’t know what he looks like and never ask about it either. He’s a good employer; he keeps your brother in excellent work conditions and pays him a reasonable salary. That’s all you care about.

“By the way,” Your brother starts. “Tomorrow, I’ll be having dinner with some work colleagues, and I was wondering if… you could pick me up after it.”

You don’t need more to know why he’s asking. “Fine. Just don’t drink too much, okay?”

“I can’t promise anything.”

“Drunkard.” You mock.

“Don’t be mean.” He pinches your cheek.

You giggle, playfully slapping his shoulder. “You know I’m not serious. As long as you have fun and remain conscious of your actions, then I’m okay with it.”

He hugs you for a moment. This man, always so soft. “How was the day at work today?”

“As usual as always. The manager asked me to work all day, so I’ve got payed more.” You open the fridge as you speak, looking for something to cook for dinner. “I need to go grocery shopping soon. Should we order something?”

“Sure.”

You’ve been the one who did almost anything inside the house since you were old enough to do so. Your mother died when you were 10, and your father left you and your brother a year after for reasons which aren’t worth discussing right now, leaving his 19-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter to live by themselves. Your brother had to stop studying and started to work so he could get money in order for both of you to live in acceptable conditions, sometimes having two jobs at a time.

He never told you to give up on your studies or bring money home. When you were younger, sometimes your closest neighbours, the Grice marriage, looked after you. They already had two sons, Colt and Falco, and happily offered to take care of you when your brother couldn’t. Colt is just a year younger than you, and Falco is 14. Colt is a pretty cool guy, you’re friends with him since you sort of grew up together, and you often hang out with him when you have time.

Regarding your brother, overall, he’s the kindest person on earth. Taking care of you has always been his number one priority. You would describe him as the stereotypical overprotective older brother; because that’s exactly what he is. You don’t really mind being the protected little sister, but when he crosses the line, you let him now. You can be quite temperamental at times, and you find a hard time expressing what you feel, though that doesn’t mean you’re rude.

After ordering through your phone, you notice he’s very concentrated looking at the screen of his own phone. “Something happened?”

“Nothing important.” He says as he shakes his head. “Apparently, the Chairman will also be attending to the dinner tomorrow. We’re all a bit freaked out about it. In a good way, that is.”

“I assume he doesn’t normally spend time with his employees out of work.”

“You’re right. Though this is good, we all want to get on with him regardless of his position – as scary as he may look like at first.”

You move next to him, giving his phone a quick peek. “How is he like?”

“Hmmm.” He mentally searches for the right words to describe him. “Particular is the first word I can think about. Not in a mean way. He’s also very meticulous when it comes to a lot of things – especially cleaning and tea.” You snort. That was unusual. “When it comes to socializing though, I think he’s just not good with people. But he doesn’t want to admit it.”

“It could be.”

“Ms. Zoe socializes enough for the two of them though. She’s probably the one who convinced him to go, this is gonna be fun.”

Just when you’re about to speak, the doorbell rings. “Cool, there’s our dinner.”

❖

The next day, you had to work the full afternoon, so you just ate quickly and leave the apartment. The day went by as usual as always, except for you chatting with a pair of customers you’ve eventually grown to like.

One was Armin, who is friends with Eren and Mikasa; the boy is really smart and talking with him was always the equivalent of having an interesting conversation. You suspect he has a little crush on Annie, but never dare to ask.

The other one was Marco. He’s one of the nicest guys you’ve ever met, always super kind and talkative, he had no hesitation in telling you half of his life when he had the opportunity. You know he’s currently studying to be a teacher and that he has a boyfriend called Jean.

The day went on normally until another customer you know enters through the door. A woman who you guess is in her middle forties. She comes very often, and you’ve grown to like her due to how nice she always is. You know she’s named Kuchel. You find curious the fact that lately, every single time she shows up, she orders tea. The tea selection isn’t the widest at the shop, but still, she seems to like it a lot.

That day, you notice he’s accompanied by a man. He looks significantly younger than her, probably in his early twenties. He also seems to be wealthy because of the expensive looking suit he’s wearing, and if that’s the case, it makes you wonder what someone like him would be doing at a local coffee shop. Also, he’s short.

Eren’s trembling mumble takes you out of your thoughts. When you look at him, he’s hiding behind the counter. “What is he doing here?” He murmurs for himself.

“Huh? You know that guy?” You whisper.

Eren pales at your question, thinking you didn’t hear him. “N-no, not at all!” You narrow your eyes, clearly not buying it. “Stop looking at me like that and attend them.”

Since Eren clearly doesn’t want to talk about it, you sigh and go to attend Kuchel and his companion as the boy tells you to do. “Reader!” She smiles at you. “Nice to see you again. I hope you’re doing well.”

You smile back warmly. “I am, thank you. May I take your order?”

“Today, we’ll both have tea. Ginger white.”

“Sugar or not?”

“No.” The man instantly responds. His voice sounds deep, calm and collected.

“Yes.” Was Kuchel’s response.

You nod, writing it down. “Got it. Be back in a few minutes.”

You head to the kitchen, finding out Eren was inside when it was his turn to be attending the customers. “What are you doing here?”

“I switched places with Sasha for now. I rather be here preparing the orders now.”

“Sure.” You snort. “Here, the order of table number six.”

“I kind of have my hands full here.” He eyes all the papers with orders glued to the wall. “If you’re free, do it yourself.”

You clearly hear the way Eren mumbles something along the lines of _of course he wants tea_ but doesn’t protest any further. As you wait for the teapot to heat up, you check if there are more customers, and visualize Historia attending a tall brunette girl. It isn’t the first time you’ve seen her at the shop, and it sometimes looks like she purposefully comes when Historia is working.

“Oh, she’s here again.” You hear Annie’s voice.

“Who?”

“That freckled girl. She once discreetly asked Historia when she had her shifts, and since then she always shows up when she’s working, and flirts non-stop with her. I think her name’s Ymir.”

You aren’t surprised in the slightest. Historia usually attracts the attention of both men and women. Which isn’t unexpected, you think, since she’s really pretty and nice towards everyone. Now of course working where she does, she _has_ to be nice, but the multiple times you’ve gone out with all your co-workers you’ve gathered enough proof to conclude she’s a nice person, in general, even if she has her momentary anger outbursts like everyone does. “Ohhh, I see. They look cute together.”

“I just hope she treats Historia well. The tiny girl is too nice for her own good.” You chuckle. You aren’t much taller than Historia, almost reaching 1,60 metres. Still, you _are_ taller than her.

“Yeah. Historia seems to like her.” You suddenly remember the thing about Armin’s possible crush on Annie, and decide to speak up. “What about you? Is there any customer who catches your eye?”

“Not really. At least for now.” She calmly says while giving a brief look at the tables just in case. “You?” She asks.

“Same here.” You shrug your shoulders. “Some of them are quite nice, but nothing more.” You’ve never been one to worry a lot about romance. Your way of thinking is: If love comes, great, if it doesn’t, great as well. It isn’t something you’re actively looking for. You’ve hooked up with a few guys and girls during your college years, but nothing serious or formal happened.

Annie huffs and goes to help Eren, leaving just you, Historia and Sasha to attend anyone who needs it. You can’t avoid looking again where Kuchel and the rich-looking man are sitting. You wonder what their relationship is. Perhaps mother and son since they look a lot alike, physically speaking. Or even siblings.

You then notice the man’s eyes are fixed on you, and immediately look away. _Crap_ , you think. You spacing out wasn’t unusual, but he had caught you staring at them. You’re a bit worried, because in case he complains or something, things might turn messed up for you. But when you dare to peek again, he’s just resumed his conversation.

Sighing in relief, you keep working normally like you always do. Once the tea is ready, you get the two cups to their respective customers and go to check on Eren. You’re curious about what he has to hide and make a mental note about asking him when your shift ends. The rest of the day goes on normally, you silently witness how Ymir gave Historia her number, and winked at the blonde once Ymir left.

Some minutes later, Kuchel is waving her hand at you, trying to catch your attention. She asks you for the bill, and you give it to them just a minute later. You notice how the man takes his wallet, but your attention switches to Kuchel when she speaks to you. “May I ask you something, Reader?”

“Eh, sure.”

“Who brews the tea here?”

Your whole body tenses up. “Usually me. Is there something wrong with it?”

“No, quite the opposite. Did you do it today?”

“Y-yeah.”

“I see. Don’t look so tense, I was just curious.”

You notice her companion stands up and gestures to the door with his head. “Let’s go.”

“Alright. Goodbye, Reader.” Kuchel gets up as well and gently pats your shoulder before following him.

Looking down at the table, you then see there’s a freaking 100 euro note next to the rest of the money. You immediately try to reach them before they leave. “Wait!”

As if he knew what you’re going to say, the man just calmly turned around. “That’s the tip.”

Your eyes immediately widen. “The tip?! But that’s a lot of money, Sir.”

Expecting your answer, he just waves his hand, diminishing your protests. “The tea was very good.” And with that, they leave.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please read!!! i forgot to say it in the first chapter’s notes but since i’m not a big fan of using (y/n) i looked up random names for the reader and her brother: lily and dorian, respectively (their last name is literally reader, i’m not creative)  
> anyways, this chapter is significantly longer than the last one, and reader starts having her first interactions with levi, hope you like it!!

Still a bit surprised after what happened, you split the money between all the staff. Everyone seems excited because of gaining extra money, except Eren, who keeps complaining about that man’s supposed ego.

Once your shift is over, you wait for Eren, who is in charge of closing the shop today. You want to ask him about his supposed problem with the eccentric rich man, but he speaks first after walking towards Mikasa’s car. She was always so punctual. “Do you need a ride?”

“Yeah. My car is in my house though, but I walked here today.”

“Don’t worry. You know Mikasa doesn’t mind.”

Before you can ask anything, Mikasa breaks the ice. “You seem mad. Did something happen?” She asks Eren.

“Your cousin was here today.” Eren just states.

“My cousin? Seeing your bad mood, I suppose you’re referring to Levi.”

“Yeah. He came with his mother just to order tea and then left a ridiculously high tip.”

“That means he liked the tea.” Mikasa says matter-of-factly, not surprised in the slightest.

“Wait,” You raise your voice almost unconsciously. “That rich man is your cousin?”

Mikasa nods. “He is. We don’t see each other very often though.”

“The issue is,” Eren interrupts you. “He always has this almighty and cold attitude, and it gets worse every time he sees me.”

“You called him short old man the first time you met him.” Mikasa remarks, visibly trying to hide her amused grin.

“I didn’t know he was listening!” He crosses his arms.

“Well, too bad. You know he hates being reminded that he’s short.” You remember that indeed, he’s below average when it comes to height. Though you can’t really tell if he’s taller or shorter than you.

“Is there anything he doesn’t hate?” Eren mocks.

“Cleaning, order, tea, his mother.” Mikasa points out.

You decide to join the conversation, taking Mikasa’s side. “He was a bit cold, but didn’t look like he was a bad person.”

“Oh, he’s not.” Mikasa acknowledges. “He’s just very… particular. About a lot of things.” That sounds somehow familiar.

“Particular? He’s a short cleaning freak.” Eren mutters under his breath.

“No wonder why he doesn’t like you. I find funny the way you’re scared of him.” You scoff.

“I’m _not_ scared of him.”

“Tell that to the Eren hidden behind the counter the moment her cousin he showed up.” You tease.

“I wasn’t hiding!”

Mikasa scoffs at your comments. “I can perfectly visualize it even if I wasn’t there.”

Eren gives up and stares at the window. “Why am I even your friend.” His complain elicits a laugh from both Mikasa and you.

Once you’re back home, you try to stay awake as you wait for your brother’s call. It’s Friday, so you didn’t have to wake up early anyway. While scrolling through your social media, you receive a message from Eren.

_Evening. I know this is a bit sudden and we literally saw each other moments ago, but we’re hanging out at Mikasa’s tomorrow. Wanna come?_

_We as in Mikasa, Armin and me._ He adds.

You blink before answering. It’s not the first time Eren invites you to hang out, but you’ve never interacted with Armin out of work, and you aren’t very close with Mikasa. Still, you like the plan, and you could always start to bond with them.

 _You sure they don’t mind?_ You reply.

_They don’t. Mikasa immediately agreed and Armin says you’re great, so don’t worry about it._

_Fine. I’m going grocery shopping in the morning, but after that, count me in._

_Cool! See you tomorrow._

You lock your phone and let it fall to the couch, where Elly is curled up. The usual stuff you do with Eren is play videogames, order pizza and chat about whatever comes to your mind. Eren isn’t one to gossip, but if the tattle is interesting enough, he can’t avoid getting invested. A few minutes later, you decide to call Colt since you two usually help each other when any of you go grocery shopping, and he tells you he’s available.

Before you could think about doing anything else, you phone rings. It’s your brother. He tells you that he’s finished and sends you his location through the phone. You can’t avoid yawning at the thought of having to take the car that late at night, but you shake your head and quickly take your jacket and the car keys before leaving the apartment.

Dorian wasn’t one to drink a lot, but the enough to be unable to drive. You wait for him to come out of the restaurant he was in, your back against the car as you look through your phone. When its door opens, you notice he obviously doesn’t come alone. You recognize Pieck next to him, the woman walking towards you the moment she sees you.

“Lily!” She hugs you. “It’s been a while since we saw each other! How are you doing? How’s Elly?”

“She’s grown a lot. I’ll send you pictures!”

Before Pieck could open her mouth again, you see another person sprinting in your direction and taking your hands in theirs. “Oooh you’re Dorian’s sister? Hello, I’m Hange Zoe! It’s so nice to meet you. He talks a lot about you.” Your brother facepalms at their sincerity.

You take some seconds to speak, your mind processing what’s happening. “Eh, hi. A pleasure to meet you too.” Hange don’t seem very drunk, and taking into account what you already know about them, you can tell they would’ve done the same even if she was sober.

You then hear a slightly familiar voice. “Hange, stop bothering strangers. You’re hardly tolerable when you’re sober, imagine now.”

Hange turns around to look at the person who spoke. “Come on shorty, let me have fun.”

Once the man comes into view, you recognize him, and your reaction is to gasp. “You!” You lock eyes with him. His mouth opens a little the moment he recognizes you, but his eyes barely move.

Everyone’s gazes turn to you as you look at him, impossibly more surprised. Dorian is the first to speak. “You know the Chairman?”

Your jaw drops. “The _what_?”

Dorian clears his throat, still not understanding what’s happening. “Uhm, allow me to introduce you. This is the Chairman of the Ackerman Corporation, and also my boss: Levi Ackerman.” You blink. That was the last thing you were expecting. “Chairman, this is my sister.”

He cocks an eyebrow, slowly walking towards you. Though he doesn’t close the distance enough for you to feel uncomfortable. “Sister?” He just says, giving your brother a quick glance with narrowed eyes, as if he’s demanding an explanation. “I wasn’t aware of this.”

“Did you bother to ask?” Your tone isn’t aggressive even if your words sound like it. You’re just trying to figure out his intentions. Besides, you didn’t want to get your brother into trouble.

However, Levi doesn’t look offended in the slightest. If anything, he seems a bit surprised. “I did not.” You hear how Hange tries to muffle a laugh, hand covering their mouth.

You show a satisfied grin. “I’ve heard about you.”

“From Dorian?”

You shake your head. “From Mikasa.” Remembering the nonchalant way in which Mikasa revealed he was part of her family without any intention of hiding it, you doubt she’ll care if you mention her.

Judging the slight change of expression of his face, you’re sure he wasn’t expecting that one. “Mikasa? Are you friends with her?”

“Sort of. She’s the friend of a friend.”

“I see.” He hums, and then keeps talking. “You’re sure one for gossip if you managed to get her to talk about me.”

“Excuse me?” You cross your arms. “What are you implying?”

“I’m not implying anything. Unless, you’ve asked her, I doubt she would’ve started any sort of conversation involving me.”

You frown. “For your information, it was all a coincidence. She only told me about her relationship with you because Eren saw you at the coffee shop and told her about it. She never mentioned anything about your job.” Levi’s eyes narrow for a second the moment you mention Eren. Even if he was getting on your nerves, you try to stay calm. “You shouldn’t think so ill of her.”

“It’s not her whom I think ill of.” He says indifferently.

Your mouth opens wide and you gasp out of indignation. “You have a lot of nerve to be that rude when we’ve just met and you barely know a thing about me. I’ll blame it on the alcohol you had.” The rest of them were either entertained by the not so subtle exchange of rudeness or too astonished to say something.

“I’m perfectly conscious of what I’m saying. If you got offended, it’s not my problem.”

You clench your fists in frustration, trying to stay composed. “Alright. I believe our conversation has finished then, _shorty_.” You put extra emphasis on the t for some reason. Levi visibly scowls, and you grin. “If you got offended, it’s not my problem. Good night.”

At that, Hange burst into laughs. “That was such a good comeback! You have guts, girl.”

Trying to ease the situation, Pieck takes Hange by their shoulder. “Don’t fuel them anymore. Come on, let’s get home everyone. I’ll call Moblit for you, Hange.”

Once you get home, the weight of your words with Levi hits you. What if Levi was detrimental of him because of you? “I’m so sorry.” You tell your brother. “I didn’t want to be that rude but he was so– so– unpolite that I couldn’t stay put!” You put your hands together and hold them to your mouth. “I don’t want to get you in trouble because of this. I’ll apologize–”

You’re interrupted when you hear him giggling. _Of course. How am I supposed to have a normal conversation with a half-drunk man._ “Whatever.” You grab his wrist and take him to his room, covering him with a blanket as you let him fall to the bed.

Before going to bed yourself, you unlock your phone and write a message before closing your eyes: _You know what Eren, forget about what I said earlier, I’m taking your side. Mikasa’s cousin is definitely not nice_.

The first thing you do when you wake up the next day is go grocery shopping with Colt. You both update each other about how things are going for you – avoiding details you don’t want to be known, and he asks you to hang out someday.

When you get home, Dorian is already up, playing with Elly on the couch. “Morning. Did Colt go with you?” He asks.

“Yep! I almost feel bad, he insists on carrying the majority of the bags himself.”

He laughs and goes to help you order everything. “I’m sorry you have to do everything in here.”

“Uh-uh, don’t start again.” You cover your ears. “I’m not listening!”

“You stubborn girl.” He exhales. “Fine, I give up. But let me help you cook today.”

“Sure.” As you two eat lunch, a thought comes to your mind. “Mr. Ackerman didn’t tell you anything about… yesterday, right?”

“He didn’t, don’t spin your head with that. The only one who messaged me was Hange to tell me this:” He takes his phone out of his pocket and reads out loud. “ _Just wanted to let you know I’m aware of everything you do for me at work and I’m truly grateful. Also, your sister is cool_.”

You blink. “That’s nice of them. Both things, I mean. It’s good to see they take it into account.”

“I told you they’re really great, didn’t I?”

You nod, feeling much better about the Hange-kidnapping-him situation. “I just hope _he_ doesn’t do anything to you in retaliation.”

He shakes his head, thoroughly convinced of his own words. “He isn’t the type to. It isn’t the first time he has a clash with some of his employee’s family members.” You tilt your head, not finding that shocking. “But he firmly believes one mustn’t pay for their family’s mistakes. He won’t hold any grudges against me unless I personally offend him myself.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Been working for him many years.” He just shrugs his shoulders.

“Is that the reason why you were giggling yesterday when I said I didn’t want to get you into trouble? Or you were just drunk?”

“Ehhh, both.” He looks away for a second. “But seriously, you don’t have to worry about it.”

You finally give in, opting for trusting what he says. “I truly hope you’re right. By the way, I’m hanging out with Eren and some friends of his later today.”

“Great. I’m glad you made friends at work.”

You roll your eyes with a little smile. “You told me that plenty of times.”

“I mean it. I like that you make new friends.” You then notice a smug grin on his face, and you know exactly what he’s about to ask. “Is there any special friend you want to talk to me about?”

Immediately standing up with a groan, you take your dishes to the sink. “There’s no one.”

“No one? Come on, don’t be shy.”

You ignore the matter and start to wash them. “Be quiet and feed Elly.” He scoffs but does as you tell him. “Can I take the car?” You ask then.

“Sure. I was planning to stay at home today, so it’s all yours.”

“Yay. I’ll let you know when I leave, I’ll be in my room until then.” For an hour, you keep yourself busy by reading before the time to go comes. While you’re picking your stuff in order to go, you receive a message from Eren in which he lets you know where Mikasa lives.

She lives in a huge skyscraper, 20 minutes away from where you live, on the 5th floor. _The Ackermans are really something_ , you think. As you step inside the building after parking the car, you see the elevator is going to close, and run as fast as you can just in time to press the button so its door opens again. The moment you recover your breath and look up, you notice the elevator isn’t empty.

“Who do we have here.” Levi says, his tone uninterested.

“No way.” You manage to slur, still a bit out of breath. Without a word, you sigh and go inside the elevator the moment he steps aside to make room for you. “Which floor?” You ask without looking at him.

“Fifth.”

You blink. “Oh. Same for me.” Almost twenty seconds of silence go by before the doors open, and you can’t believe your eyes when you both walk towards the same door. _Wait, he’s Mikasa’s relative, don’t tell me he’s going to–_

“What’s your business here?” He questions, not even bothering to look at you either.

“I told you, I know Mikasa.” You reply dryly.

“ _Friend of a friend_ , I see.” You can’t tell if he’s mocking you or not, but still, you don’t like his tone.

“Look, I–” The door opens before you finish.

“Oh. Hi you two.” Mikasa greets you. “I assume you run into each other.”

“Unfortunately.” Levi mutters as he walks in, leaving you behind. Mikasa notices the way you clench your jaw, and gestures you to come inside.

“Don’t mind him, he’s always like that.” Since Mikasa doesn’t mention anything, you suspect she doesn’t know about your not so friendly encounter with Levi last night, so you just let it be.

You walk inside the house just in time to see the way Eren and Armin stand up at the sight of Levi, their bodies stiff. “Good day Mr. Ackerman, Sir!” Armin slurs.

“Jesus, Arlert, this isn’t the military. I’m not even surprised to see you two here, don’t you have a house?”

“Must you scare my friends every single time you see them?” Mikasa gives him a wary look, but she doesn’t look angry.

He chuckles at that. “Maybe. This one over here is your friend as well?” He eyes you briefly.

 _This one?!_ You don’t know if he notices your scowl.

“She is. She works with Eren, but I think you already know that.”

“Indeed.” He tears his eyes away from you, and then directs to Mikasa. “Where’s your mother?”

“Upstairs. She’s waiting for you.”

After Levi’s gone, you decide to forget about him and just enjoy the afternoon with your friends. The four of you decide to play Smash Bros for hours; Mikasa is really good, Eren is decent and Armin is pretty much hopeless, but he tries.

After a while, you just chill and chat for a little bit. Eren tells you he’s graduating soon and will eventually have to take a break from working to study for his end-of-degree project. That makes you pout a bit, but you understand. Besides, he’ll come back, won’t he?

Among all the things you’re talking about, you don’t expect certain topic to be discussed. “By the way Armin, when the hell will you ask Annie out?” Eren mumbles as he scrolls through his phone.

“Eren!” Armin scolds the boy and then eyes you.

“I’ve been suspecting it for a while.” You tell him while shrugging. “Don’t worry, I won’t say a word.”

“I don’t know how she does it, but Lily always catches anyone who gives the eye to any of us baristas.” Eren laughs while his eyes switch to you.

“It’s called being observant.” You remark. “Annie does that too though, but she would never admit it. I can speak to her about you if you want, Armin.”

“Please don’t.” Visibly embarrassed, Armin looks away. “I don’t even have her phone number yet, but even so, I want to ask her myself.”

“That’s brave.” You gently pat his back in an attempt to encourage him.

You’re interrupted when you hear someone’s steps going downstairs. Levi shows up inside the room, and you hear how the boys swallow. “Mikasa, I’m going home.” He doesn’t give the rest of you a single glance.

When he’s about to turn around, you speak. “Goodbye to you too, _shorty_.”

He stops on his tracks and looks at you in a condescending way. “You had to make clear you don’t like me, hadn’t you?”

“Look who’s talking.” You give him a sarcastic grin. “The man who _unfortunately_ run into me.”

He lets a loud _tsk_. “Brat.” He turns around while looking at you from the corner of the eye, and then leaves.

When you look at your friends, Eren and Armin’s mouths are wide open, and Mikasa looks visibly surprised. “What was that about?”

You then proceed to tell her what happened the night prior, and she looks a bit uneasy at first but sighs just a second later. “It’s a small world, isn’t it.”

“It surely is. I won’t tell anyone you’re an Ackerman.”

“You better not.” Her words are threatening but her tone is playful. She does really seem to trust you, and that makes your chest feel warm. Eren laughs when remembering the message you sent him last night, murmuring _now that makes sense_.

When it gets late, you offer to take Eren and Armin home, and just a few minutes after the three of you leave, Mikasa’s phone rings. The name _Levi_ appears on her screen. “Did you leave anything here?”

“Since when do you know her?” He asks directly. Mikasa knows he’s referring to you.

 _Straight to the point, as usual_. “A few months. Before you ask, no, she didn’t know about my last name when we met. She just found out now. You have to stop thinking that badly about everyone.” Mikasa understands why he acts the way he does, but still, Levi has the bad habit of taking ridiculously long periods of time to start trusting someone. Though most times, he doesn’t even try.

Pride and arrogance apart, he knows very well who he is, and also how greedy and opportunistic people can be. “Whatever. Just be careful.”

“I _am_ careful, you’re just exaggeratedly so.”

Levi lets it be, deciding to trust Mikasa. “Alright. Goodbye.”

“Tell your mother I said hi.” He hears her, but just hangs up and doesn’t answer.

❖

“So you knew Mikasa’s cousin is the owner of the Ackerman Corporation all along?”

Eren nods indifferently while washing dishes. “Yep. It’s not that hard to figure out, they share last name.”

“I didn’t know Mikasa’s last name!” You remember Eren not mentioning it when he introduced Mikasa to you, but you didn’t find it relevant.

“She doesn’t want to air it to anyone, you know.” You understand what he means. If she tells people she’s just met her last name is Ackerman, they could immediately assume she’s related to Levi. And it could bring problems. “Don’t take it personally.”

“I don’t.” You then proceed to order the clean dishes while speaking. “Since when do you know Mikasa?”

“Since I have use of memory. You remember Armin?” You quickly nod. “The three of us are childhood friends.”

You space out for a bit as you process it. You know the three of them are friends but weren’t aware they’ve been together since their infancy. “So you’ve always known about her family’s… influence?”

“I didn’t pay it much attention to it when I was a kid. Because I was, well, a kid.” He sighs. “And since we’ve been aware of what that implies, we always try to avoid mentioning she’s an Ackerman to anyone. You found out by chance, but I trust you won’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t. Do you think she’s really okay with me knowing about it?” Once you’ve finished putting everything in place, you give a brief look to the counter in case anyone needs help.

“Nah don’t worry. Just don’t bring it up frequently when talking to her and she’ll be chill about it.”

“Busybodies.” You hear Annie’s voice. “Gossip less and work more. You,” She glances at you. “There’s a woman here who wants to talk to you. She also ordered this.” She hands you the order. “Take it to her as soon as you can.”

You frown. You can’t think of anyone who possibly wants to urgently talk to you while you’re working. You shake your head and look at the order. Black tea. You think about Kuchel, but again, what business could she have with you?

“Table number two.” Annie tells you as she pats your shoulder. “She didn’t seem to be angry, stop looking so scared.”

“Oh hush.” You whisper as you start making the tea. The moment your eyes pinpoint the person Annie told you about, your shoulders relax. It’s Kuchel indeed. You smile at her sympathetically as you leave her tea on the table. “Hello again. I’ve been told you want to speak with me?”

“Indeed, I want.” She takes a sip, waiting a few seconds to speak. “First thing, I’m sorry to keep you busy while you’re working.”

“It’s fine, really. The others will cover for me.” Your words seem to relieve her a bit.

“I’ll go straight to the point anyway. Do you remember the man I came with the last time I was here?”

Levi’s face immediately comes to your mind. “I do.”

“He’s my son.” As you were suspecting. Still, you wonder what he has to do with her wanting to speak to you. “I’ve been told he’s wasn’t very… _polite_ towards you when you properly met two nights ago.”

Imagining where the conversation was going, you hurry to clarify. “Please don’t give it more importance than it has. My manners weren’t the friendliest either if I’m completely honest.”

“No, I must insist. It’s not my intention to justify his actions, but still, you must know he’s quite untrusty around someone he’s just met. Besides, he isn’t the best when it comes to dealing with people.” In other words, he’s socially inept. “And I want to apologize for his behaviour.”

Since she’s being so resilient, you decide not to protest. “Well, then. Apology accepted.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Deliver these words to your brother as well.”

“I will. Out of curiosity, how did you find out about what happened? He didn’t tell you himself, did he?”

“Hange’s a friend of the family, and they love to talk.” She takes another sip, sighing deeply after swallowing. “I told him to apologize himself, but I bet his way of solving problems like these are either being even ruder or buying your forgiveness with money.” You try to muffle your scoff.

For someone so worried about not wanting to reveal his last name out of work, he sure doesn’t mind letting others know he’s wealthy. _Rich people_. Since the conversation started, something has been wondering inside your mind. “May I ask you why you’re telling me so much about him? I’m not complaining, but some pieces of information seem very personal.”

Kuchel exhales. “Honestly, I’m not sure myself. Perhaps because I find you likable.” You feel a bit flattered at that. “Perhaps because you’re one of the few people who are able to talk back to my son without blinking.”

You tilt your head. “Is that so?” As you remember Levi, you get why Kuchel says it. Levi easily can come off as intimidating or rude, especially if he acts with everyone the same way he did with you. “Well I’m not easily intimidated, so don’t concern yourself with that.”

“Thank you for being comprehensive. And I’m sorry for taking so much of your time.”

“No problem ma’am. I should be going back to work if you have nothing left to say.”

“I haven’t, you can go back. I must tell you, your company is quite pleasant.” The sincerity with which she speaks makes you smile warmly. How can such nice woman be the mother of someone as rude and cocky as Levi?

A while later, Kuchel leaves. You suppose you’re going to have a pleasant time before your shift ends until Eren pats your shoulder alarmingly as he whispers, “You won’t guess who’s here again.”

You turn around, just in time to see Levi standing in the shop’s doorway, gawking specifically at you. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes levi is a bit of a little shit at first and reader is salty  
> the ackerman family starts being relevant and also kuchel is an angel


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> something i need to mention: i started this story using she/her for hange since they go by any pronoun, but i’m so used to use they when referring to hange that i decided to switch to they/them for the rest of the story  
> also hope you like the personality i’ve given reader  
> anyways, if you enjoy this chapter, leave kudos or comments if you want (*^‿^*)

Eren drags you to the kitchen, not caring if Levi sees you or not. You’re the first one to speak. “You think he’s here because he’s mad at me?”

“I don’t mean to scare you, but I wouldn’t discard it.” You fight the urge to bite your nails. You don’t really care about dealing with Levi, but not at work.

You swallow. “This is bad. Should we tell Rico or Annie to attend him?” They’re the only options. Sasha and Historia aren’t working today, and Levi doesn’t know neither Rico nor Annie.

“Should you tell me what?” You two almost jump the moment Annie’s question hits your ears. The moment your eyes land on the girl, you freeze. She doesn’t have her apron on. “Whatever it was, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait since my shift just ended. I’m going home, Rico is in the kitchen if you need her.”

“Shit.” Eren almost spits.

“I don’t know you what you two are up to, but don’t mess anything up.” That’s one of the qualities you like in Annie: she doesn’t intrude in other people’s business, unless she’s involved. She’s as observant as you are, but she keeps it to herself most times.

You peek inside the kitchen to look at Rico, but she just gives you a confused look. “What is it? If you don’t need anything, go and attend outside.”

You exchange a worried look with Eren. Rico isn’t harsh by any means, she’s just very strict when it comes to work-related stuff. Eren and you know that if you ask her to switch places when she’s busy and you’re both unoccupied, she’ll most likely – no, she’ll _definitely_ scold you.

You have to think fast. “Rock, paper, scissors.” You tell Eren in a low tone. “The loser attends Levi.” He quickly nods as you hide a hand behind your back. “One, two, three.” You have scissors. Eren has rock. You lose.

He lets a relieved sound but is sympathetic when he speaks. “Sorry. The sooner you take his order, the earlier he’ll leave.”

You squeeze your cheeks together with both hands, take a deep breath and walk towards the dreaded man. Levi is looking at his phone, and when he sees someone is standing next to him, he looks up.

You speak first. “What can I get you, Sir?” Your tone isn’t the happiest, but it’s not unpleasant either.

Before answering, you notice his eyes are fixed on the little sticker glued to your apron. True, he didn’t even know your name. To him, you’re just Dorian’s sister and Mikasa’s friend. You’re getting a bit tense under his stare, until luckily for you, he finally speaks. “Chamomile tea.”

“No sugar, I suppose.” You try to sound nice, but it’s not as easy as you thought it would, so your tone is just indifferent.

“Correct.” You nod and write it down, and before you turn around, he calls you. “Wait.” You meet his eyes, waiting for him to speak. “Do it yourself.”

You tilt your head. “Do what?”

“The tea.”

“Ah.” You can’t really tell if he genuinely wants you to do it or he’s just trying to piss you off. “Alright.”

You don’t take a lot to make it, already used to it, and as the moment you leave the cup in front of him, you can feel his eyes on your back. Ignoring it, you go and take Marco’s order and chat with him for a bit once you make sure neither your co-workers nor the customers need help.

You then take a look at the wall’s clock; just half an hour left for you and Eren. You visualize Levi from the corner of your eye, and when he notices he’s on your line of sigh, he briefly raises his hand to catch your attention. You sigh and return to his side. “Yes?”

“How long have you been working here?”

You take a bit to respond, not really sure why he’s asking in the first place. “Uh, for a year.”

“Hm. And did you know Jaeger before?”

You can’t help but wonder, is he trying to be nice and start a conversation or just being a prick? Still, you answer calmly, “Sir, I can’t really talk much right now, I’m at work.”

“You didn’t seem to have a problem with ditching work when talking to that other guy.” Okay, he’s definitely being a prick.

You breathe heavily. “I wasn’t _ditching_ work; I just don’t see why I would ignore a customer who’s being _nice_ to me.”

The emphasis you put in the word _nice_ doesn’t go unnoticed by him. “Are you suggesting I’m not?” Of course you are, and he knows it. He also knows you _have to_ be well-mannered at work and has the clear intention of making you lose your nerve. But you know better than that.

“Not at all. I just happen to enjoy talking to people who genuinely try to get on with me, rather than the ones who don’t.” You try to hide your little smirk. “Don’t you think that’s normal?”

His gaze is now half-offended due to your discreet shade, but his voice remains composed. “When the niceness is mutual, of course it is.” Your teeth clench, but still, you decide not to play along. “When does your shift end?” Comes his next question.

You clear your throat while looking at the clock again. “In like ten minutes. Why?”

“Good. I would like to talk to you outside.”

Completely taken aback, you try not to be loud when clicking your tongue. “What for?”

“You’ll see.”

Not really in the mood to argue, you nod. “Fine.”

Those ten minutes go by in the blink of an eye, and the moment you step outside, Levi’s waiting for you. Not very far behind him stands a significantly tall brown haired man who, judging by his outfit, is very obviously his bodyguard. Before speaking, Levi’s eyes go to Eren, who is standing behind you.

“Can he stay?” You ask Levi.

“As long as he doesn’t take part in the conversation.”

“Rude much.” You scoff. Eren just nods, probably too intimidated to say something.

You notice Levi takes a deep breath, as if he’s been overthinking his next words. “We’re both aware of the fact that we didn’t start off the best way.” You nod matter-of-factly. “So I’m telling you to forget about that. Let’s start over.”

“You’re _telling me_?” You cross your arms, not really surprised at this point. “Mr. Ackerman, I do appreciate the fact that you want us to… get on, I suppose, but I find it difficult to forgive other’s offenses against me, and I’m pretty sure you didn’t find me very likable at first.”

“You’re not wrong.” He seems to meditate about something. “Fine then. How much?”

You hear a low gasp from Eren, but you still don’t get what he means. “How much what?” You ask, visibly confused.

“Money. Name a sum. I’ll give you the sum you ask for, and you forget about everything.”

You don’t know whether to feel more frustrated or disrespected. Who’s he taking you for? “Listen Mr. Ackerman, I don’t know what kind of person you think I am, but you can’t just buy people’s silence or forgiveness with money.”

“I can name many people who would gladly accept theirs to be bought if the sum is large enough.” The exceedingly confident way in which he speaks annoys you.

“Well I’m not one of those people.” Your hands move to your hips. “If you truly want us to start over with a clean slate, this is _not_ the way. Have a good day, Sir.”

As he called for his driver, Levi supported his back against the wall and keeps looking at you and Eren as you walk away from him. _So Lily Reader, huh._

Levi steps inside his mother’s house, immediately getting rid of his jacket.

“Where were you?” She wonders.

He knows Kuchel was going to question him and lying is of no use. “The coffee shop with the good tea.”

“Oh? I was there as well.”

“I know. I waited until you were gone.” He says nonchalantly.

Kuchel can’t say she’s surprised, but frowns anyway. “I certainly hope your intention wasn’t to pester that girl again.” The half-chuckle Levi lets is enough to answer her question. “Levi!”

“I found her suspicious.”

“For the thousandth time, not anyone who’s kind towards an Ackerman is thinking about money.” Kuchel complains. “Besides, she didn’t know–”

“I said, I _found_ her suspicious. I admit I may have misjudged her.”

“May? You _definitely_ misjudged her.” Kuchel isn’t surprised at her son’s attitude. He has his reasons, sure, but she gets really tired of it sometimes. “Don’t tell me you tried what I’m thinking.”

“What if I did?”

Kuchel lets an exasperated half-groan. “Oh god. What did she say?”

“She got angry and told me that _this isn’t the way to start over with a clean state_.” As he speaks, he takes off his tie and sits on the couch, close to his mother, and starts checking his phone.

“See? She’s humble.”

“You’re too trustful.” His tone isn’t condescending, he’s just stating a fact.

“Maybe you’re too distrustful.” She snaps back.

“I am. Though I must say, I sort of changed my opinion about that girl.” Kuchel doesn’t say a word, just keeps looking at him, waiting for what he has to say. “She’s interesting. Bold and stubborn in some way, but interesting.”

“So are you.” His uninterested glare just elicits a laugh from his mother. “You didn’t deny it. In any case, what’s the real reason behind this new attitude you have towards her?”

“ _Real reason_?” Levi repeats incredulously. “Can’t I be good just because?”

“Levi.” Kuchel rolls her eyes. “You don’t willingly try to get someone to like you – or tolerate you in this case, unless something motivates you to do it.”

Levi gives up and sighs. He can hide his motives from anyone else, but not from his mother. “She makes a really good tea, and knows I like it. Having her angry at me isn’t convenient.”

Kuchel can’t help but scoff, not bothering to hide her amusement. “I can’t believe you described someone’s ability to brew tea as _convenient_.”

“Tea is important.” He speaks of it like it’s a serious matter.

She doesn’t even try to hide her grin. “Whatever you say.”

❖

You have to work the whole morning the next day, so you leave the bed early. You find weird the fact that your brother is still asleep when he’s usually about to leave or has already left by the time you wake up. While you’re having your breakfast, he comes out of his room, and you immediately recognize the issue.

He looks positively sick. Huge bags, constant coughing, pale skin. A fever or a cold probably, or both. “You look awful.” You say as an observation.

“Thanks.” He responds with a humourless laugh. “I’ll just wash my face and have a coffee, I’m fine.”

You tilt your head, not convinced at all, and your patience snaps when you notice he has to support himself on the wall to keep walking properly. You immediately reach him and the back of your hand lands on his forehead. “You definitely shouldn’t leave the house today, you’re burning and can barely walk.”

“I said I’m fine.” He waves his hand, trying to appear healthy, but obviously not succeeding.

“Dorian.” You step in front of him. “You’re not feeling well. You can’t go to work today.”

“Listen, I just need–”

“To rest.” You drag him to the couch by his arm and make him sit on it by pulling his shoulders down. “Call whoever you need to call and tell them.” He looks away with a semi-pout. You take his phone and hold it in front of him. “Unlock it.”

“What are you doing?”

“If you don’t want to call your boss, _I_ will.”

He lets himself fall to the couch and gives his unlocked phone to you, clearly lacking the energy to talk back to you. You scroll through his contacts until you see Ms. Zoe, but they don’t pick it up. Next try: Mr. Ackerman. You aren’t ecstatic about talking to him again, but you don’t really have the time to look for other options.

He takes no more than ten seconds to answer. “What do you need?”

“Morning Mr. Ackerman. I’m Dorian’s sister.” You’re pretty sure he would’ve recognized your voice anyway, but you make your identity clear just in case.

A brief silence takes place. “And what could you possibly want?”

“My brother is incredibly sick; he has a fever and can’t even walk straight. He’s unable to work today.”

“Why didn’t he call himself? And why not informing Hange first?”

“Hange isn’t picking it up, and he insisted on going despite being in the state he is, so I had to do the dirty work. If he keeps being stubborn, I’ll tie him to the bed.” You weren’t really planning to say that last sentence out loud, but it’s too late now.

You could swear Levi chuckles. “Alright, tell your brother he can rest as long as he needs. I’ll be the one telling Hange.”

You smile for yourself. Even if Levi did act like a jerk before, maybe he isn’t that obnoxious. Maybe you can make an effort to get on with him too. “Thank you.” You try to sound genuine.

“It’s nothing. Goodbye, Reader.” He doesn’t call you by your name, something you appreciate since you barely know each other. You leave the phone on the table, your finger pointing at your brother’s room.

“Mr. Ackerman says you can take as long as you need to recover. I don’t want to see you leave your room unless you’re hungry or need to use bathroom.” You try to sound authoritative.

He just stands up and gives you a hug, and you let a surprised squeak. “Thank you for worrying this much about me. I don’t deserve you.”

Your shoulders relax at his words. “Don’t say that. I have to go, but if you need anything, you must call me. Got it?”

“Count on it. Now come on, don’t be late. Take the car.” You don’t need to be told twice.

Eren doesn’t usually work in the mornings, so you’re just with Rico and Historia. Luckily for you, Historia compensates Eren’s absence, because the left barista isn’t very talkative. “How are you doing?” She kindly asks you once you’re both unoccupied.

“Good, I suppose. My brother was feeling sick earlier and I made him stay at home.”

“Oh, is it very serious? I hope he feels better soon.”

“It’s just a fever, but he couldn’t even walk properly. And thanks, he’ll be fine after some rest and medicine, I hope.” You speak while giving a quick glance to the tables from a minute to another. “How are things going with Ymir?” You casually ask.

You hear a little giggle from her. “Great actually. We’re going on a date in a few days and we text each other every day, she’s amazing. I really like her.”

“I’m glad. As long as she treats you well and you’re happy, that’s all there is to it.”

“You’re right. How do you know thought? Is it that obvious?”

“Historia,” You roll your eyes. “Ymir only comes here when _you_ are working, and wasn’t very discreet when asking for your number.” The blonde blushes almost instantly as she hits your arm playfully.

Your attention directs to the door the moment you hear people walking inside, and what you can’t believe is who just entered. You instantly recognize Hange, and your mind can’t really choose between hiding or running to meet them. You opt for the second one, and your eyes then notice they aren’t alone. Next to Hange stands a really tall blond man, you’ve never seen him in your life.

You tap Historia’s shoulder before you start walking towards the table where both people are sitting. “I’ll go.”

Hange recognizes you the moment you let yourself be seen, and greets you energetically. “Hey! I didn’t remember you work here.”

“I wasn’t aware you know where I work.”

“Dorian mentioned it like twice since he sometimes picks you up.”

“True enough.” Your eyes then switch to the man sitting next to her, and they notice.

“This is Erwin Smith. Friend of mine and Levi.”

You offer him a kind smile. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Smith.”

“My pleasure. I’ve heard a few things about you.”

Your body tenses up a bit due to nervousness, but you try to sound calm when you say, “It seems everyone has heard about me recently.” You feel relieved when he laughs at your comment. “From whom this time?” You ask.

“This fellow over here.” He eyes Hange.

You look at them from the corner of the eye. “I’m not sure if I want to know the reason.”

“Oh it’s not bad, they just found funny the fact that you teased Levi when you met him.”

“Oh, that. I’m not very proud of it if I’m completely honest.” You wonder what’s going on with everyone being so fascinated about you talking back to Levi. “Though if I may ask, Ms. Zoe, aren’t you supposed to be working?”

“I’m on a break. Erwin called and asked me if I wanted to join him for coffee, and now we’re here. And please call me just Hange.”

“Sure, if that’s what you want. Anyways, what can I get you?” You take their orders to Historia, and can’t help but wonder how such kind people are friends with someone as moody as Levi. Maybe you misjudged him – or maybe he just doesn’t act like a jerk with his friends. Or both.

A while later, Hange and Erwin are about to leave, but just after paying the bill, Hange stops you. “Can I persuade you to have lunch with me later?”

Your mouth opens a little and you’re taken aback by their question. Though before you can choose between responding yes or no, another thought occupies your mind. “I’m afraid I can’t, you know that my brother is si–”

They raise a finger and you shut your mouth, waiting for them to speak. “I just called him – because I wanted to check on him, and he says you should come.”

“Of course he did.” You mutter to yourself, but loud enough for Hange to hear it. “I feel a bit bad for leaving him alone in his state.”

“He’s 30, I think he can take care of himself. Besides, he insisted.”

You meditate it for some seconds. They’re actually right, he just has a fever and promised to call if he needs something. Even if you don’t know Hange that much, you like them, and can tell their friendliness is genuine. What could go wrong. “Okay. My shift ends at 2:30.”

“Great! Great.” They repeat as if not believing you accepted. “You know where the building of the Ackerman Corporation is, right?”

“Yes but– are we going to eat there?”

“Uh-huh. If you don’t mind.”

You’ve actually never seen how the building looks on the inside, so you’re curious more than anything. “I don’t.”

“Perfect. Text me when you get there.” They give you a small paper with their phone number written on it.

When it’s time for you to go, you quickly take off your apron, you take your stuff and leave. Before getting in the car, you call your brother to check on him as well as let him know you won’t be home for lunch and accepted Hange’s invitation. He says he’s glad you did.

You don’t take long to get to your destination, parking the car and texting Hange the moment you enter inside the building. It’s huge and has an infinity of floors, so you really don’t know where to go. Luckily, they take no more than five minutes to appear and then guides you to the canteen, which is on the second floor.

Once you have your food, Hange starts conversating non-stop with you. You thought it would be more overwhelming, but you actually like the fact that you both never fall under awkward silence since they always manage to bring up literally any topic to speak about. They ask you basic things about yourself, like your age, if you study and work at the same time, your hobbies and so on.

You do the same, and find yourself surprised at how incredible they are. At age 30, Hange has two degrees, one in medicine and other in history. They’re a huge extrovert and like to know everything about everyone, and that adds even more sense to the fact that they want to spend more time with you.

Just in the middle of a conversation, their eyes flicker to the door. “Look, there’s the shorty.”

Your head spins almost instantly, locating Levi within seconds. He was looking at his phone, and the moment Levi raises his head and his eyes locks with yours, he stops in his tracks. He doesn’t take long to approach you both anyway, his eyes going from Hange to you twice. “So you managed to drag her here.”

“I didn’t _drag_ anyone, I offered her to come and she said yes.” Hange answers with a fake offended tone. “Want to join us?”

You give Hange an incredulous look, but they didn’t seem to be joking. What takes you by surprise is that Levi looks at you first thing. Several seconds go by before you get what he’s onto. He’s waiting for you to say if you want him to stay or not.

You appreciate that, and words come out of your mouth before you know it. “I don’t mind.”

He looks at you again for a moment, as if trying to read your face in case you aren’t telling the truth before finally taking his jacket off and leaving it on a chair next to you. “I’ll be back in a moment.” He says before he starts walking towards the bar.

“I thought he was going to leave.” You mumble.

Hange snorts, not surprised one bit by your comment. “Shorty can seem pretty tough at first, but he gets nicer the more time you spend with him.”

“He didn’t look like he was very keen on it when we met.” Your face rests on one of your hands as you keep talking. “Though he did seem like he wanted us to get on the last time we saw each other. If only he hadn’t tried to buy my forgiveness with cash first thing.”

Hange doesn’t look shocked in the slightest, in fact, they giggle a bit too loudly. “Believe me, he does want to get on with you. He’s just bad at these things.”

“I’ve noticed.” You remember his mother’s words. “Are you completely sure that he doesn’t mind staying while I’m here?”

“I am, don’t worry about that.”

You can’t help your curiosity and lower your voice before asking, “How long have you known him?”

“For like 10 years. Erwin, Levi and I became friends when we were in college, and now we’re here.”

“I see.” Questions keep wondering inside your mind, but you opt for not invading his privacy more than you – accidentally – already have.

Levi doesn’t take long to sit between Hange and you. You didn’t expect him to be the one who breaks the ice though, and yet, he speaks first. “How’s your brother?” You partly expect him to tell you something along the lines of _you should be taking care of him instead of being here_ , but he doesn’t.

“I called him just before coming here and he told me he’s doing better.” You take a tiny bite of your sandwich and swallow before speaking again. “I was supposed to go home, but he insisted I should eat outside with Hange.”

“Good.” He just says. “You aren’t working today?”

“I was this morning.” You nod. “Unless my manager asks me to cover a shift or something, I’m free for the rest of the day.”

“Don’t you have a fixed schedule?” Part of your mind still stays defensive every time he asks a question, but it really does look like he’s asking out of genuine curiosity. Even if his face and voice tone look and sound indifferent.

“Not really, we decide it every week. Since many of my co-workers are students, they’re sometimes unable to always follow the same schedule. I just adjust to it.” You support your face on one hand while talking. “Including the times when I wake up or go to sleep.”

Levi opens his mouth to speak, but Hange is quicker. “Let me guess,” They then proceed to mimic Levi’s voice when talking. “ _You should try to maintain always the same schedule at least when it comes to sleeping for the sake of your health_.”

“You’re the epitome of comedy.” Levi says with an obvious sarcastic and slightly offended tone. “You aren’t a student?” His attention switches to you again.

“I finished my degree last year and wanted to dedicate some time to just working.”

You don’t like where the conversation is going since you don’t really want to explain them why you felt the need to bring money home after finishing your studies. Luckily for you, Hange’s phone rings, and relief goes through your entire body.

“I have to pick it up, give me a few minutes.” They walk a few steps away, phone in their hands, leaving you alone with Levi.

You have to avoid falling into an awkward silence _at all costs_. There’s one thing you want to confirm when it comes to Levi and you, so you slightly open your mouth to catch air slightly, and then speak. “I believe we’re now in good terms.” You inquire. “Aren’t we?”

“Given you’re not bothered by my presence anymore, I’m inclined to think we are.” He says calmly.

Even if you’re still getting used to his usually monotonous voice, you sense his words are sincere. “I appreciate your efforts.” You don’t know if it’s wise mentioning what you’re going to say, but again, you can’t help your curiosity. “By the way, are you aware of your mother apologizing to me on your behalf?”

“I am.” The exasperated sound he lets makes you muffle a laugh. “She does many things _on my behalf_ without letting me know.”

“In her favour I must say her intentions were good. She’s really affectionate.”

“That woman is everything I’m not.” So he’s aware himself that he’s kind of cold.

A thought comes to your mind, and you decide to test your luck. “Indeed, she’s _nice_.”

His gaze lands on your face, trying to see your intentions, but when he just finds a small teasing grin, he chuckles. “Funny one, aren’t you?”

“I like to think I am.”

You see amusement in his eyes and you two fall silent for some seconds, eating your own food. He’s the next one to speak. “Did you have to tie your brother to the bed or was he compliant in the end?”

You giggle louder than you wanted. “He was. He’s an expert in neglecting his health if he has work to do.”

Levi’s back falls against the chair’s backrest. “I guess being stubborn runs in the family.”

“It kind of does.” Even if he indirectly called you stubborn, you answer with a half-smirk. “Thanks for being comprehensive about it.”

“No need to thank me. Making someone work when they’re unable to is unfair.” You already knew Levi was fair to all his employees, but you’re now confirming it.

Just then, Hange comes back, and the three of you engage in a different conversation. As you sort of expected, Levi isn’t very talkative, but he’s paying attention to what you’re saying and it shows when he’s asked about his input or decides to add something.

Before you know it, it’s time for Levi and Hange to go. “That was a really pleasant time. Don’t hesitate to invite me again.” You tell Hange with a gentle smile.

“Oh be certain I will. You’re fun to have around.”

You can’t help but feel flattered. “Thanks, you too.”

“Tell your brother to take care, okay?”

“I will. See you, Hange,” Your eyes then go to Levi. “Mr. Ackerman.”

Levi doesn’t tear his eyes away from you until he says, “Goodbye, missy.”

Your first reaction is to widen your eyes, but then you realize his tone is almost playful. He’s teasing you back, you understand. Surprisingly, next thing you know, your hand is covering your mouth because you’re laughing. “Hah. Goodbye to you too.”

 _Missy._ Okay, maybe he isn’t that bad after all.


End file.
